My Top 5 Gigs of the Year, 2015

2015 is nearly over and throughout the year I’ve been to a fair few gigs – here’s a rundown of the five that were my personal favourites…

5) U2 at the O2, London, 25/10

With a more eclectic setlist than they’ve played in a long time, and with some serious rarities from oft-forgotten albums such as ‘October’ and ‘Zooropa’, this was a concert to please both superfans and newcomers alike. The setlist was very well thought out and at times felt akin to some kind of story arc; U2 certainly know how to construct a gig, as well as a stage! The hollow screen hovering above them was one of the more impressive feats of staging creativity I’ve seen and while from some more end-on angles it didn’t particularly work, from the side it was absolutely stunning.

A gig unlike any other I’ve been to, it was hard to know where to place it in this top 5, but on thinking about it, this gig is impressive for a few reasons. Not only was the musicianship incredible and hypnotising – Godspeed You! Black Emperor are a band who I knew next to nothing about when I walked into that room, and I left, having been completely enthralled for over two hours, wanting to know everything about them. For a band I’ve never listened to pre-gig, they left an impression on me bigger than many bands I love, and that’s why they’re No. 4 on this list.

Franz Ferdinand and Sparks are two of my favourite bands of all time, and when they first announced their collaboration I was a little sceptical. The album they released, however, blew the scepticism I had straight out of the water and if there was any left, it got blown away by this gig. The energy flowing off the stage was palpable and it’s the most fun I can recall seeing a band have on stage. The FFS material sounded just as good as the bands’ own material when it was slipped into the set, and the audience were just as appreciative of the new and the old. Excellent.

Everything Everything’s ‘Get to Heaven’ is an album that has left a big impression on me this year and it was just as impressive live as it was on the recording. With minimalist but effective staging and a frontman whose tongue-twister vocals become even more unbelievable live, this was a stunning performance from one of the most exciting acts in British music. I’m hotly anticipating their support slot under Foals in the new year…

Who else could it be? This was a near-flawless performance from one of the most legendary rock musicians of all time. After a decade off the tour circuit he was sounding like he hadn’t missed a day and the opportunity to hear Pink Floyd material played by the man himself was an unmissable one. With tracks perfectly recreated down to the smallest detail, this is one of the most breathtaking concerts I have ever been to and one that will stay with me for many, many years to come.